FACULTY

ABCD Training Group
For information about the Training Group's work or registration, contact: Donna -Email: abcdtraining@aol.com
Phone: 912-236-8047

ABCD Training Group
636 East Victory Drive
Savannah, Georgia 31405
 

ABCD Institute Partnership - In partnership with Northwestern University's Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute, the Asset-Based Community Development Training Group is announcing a national program that focuses on knowledge and practical skills for putting ABCD into action. The program is designed for neighborhood professionals and community leaders familiar with ABCD basic principles.

Since John Kretzmann and John McKnight published "Building Communities from the Inside Out" in 1993, over 70,000 copies have been sold making it a best seller in community development.. The book and ABCD concepts have inspired a wide variety of local community-building work across America. Increasingly, local leaders are asking, "Where can I go to get more training and become more adept in ABCD techniques. How can colleagues and friends learn about ABCD applications?".

The ABCD Training Group, a national non-profit, has been created by senior members of the national ABCD Institute faculty to respond to this growing need for training and ongoing consultation on local ABCD projects. John Kretzmann and John McKnight endorse the effort and serve as advisors to the Training Group.

How to Engage Your Community—Partnership That Works
Most community problem solving is focused on the action of government agencies and of non profit agencies. Most of the tremendous capacity in the everyday life of communities is not engaged in community problem solving. How do you get beyond agency services to engage your wider community; associations, congregations, residents, local business? Solving community problems and building a strong community require the assets of everyone. How do you involve an ever wider circle of participation? A strong community needs everyone. Engaging your community builds real democracy where more people move towards effective citizenship—places where people act together and care for each other. 

Three Tools for Community Engagement: “Community Partnerships” must be organized where people in everyday life are at the center enrolling their community members. “Servant Institutions” must be developed that are skilled at supporting community groups to get stronger. “Community Inclusion” strategies must be used to bring a growing circle of people into contribution to their community. The role of “agencies” AND of “community” are BOTH essential!

Training Workshops and Consultation on Community Engagement:
Community Partnerships—Develop skills to begin a group which can truly engage the wider community beyond services. Our approach focuses on the following questions. How do you develop a “community organization” that can do Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) effectively? How do you develop community organizing staff and community leaders? How do you involve a wide circle of participation beyond services and clients?

Servant Institutions—Learn how to develop an agency that can effectively support the work of community groups to build their community. We address these questions. How do you engage the community for a stronger agency? What can your agency practically do to develop stronger community residents and groups? How do you find your assets for contribution to a stronger community? How can your organization change its culture and practice to “community development” rather than “service delivery”? How can every staff person build democracy and encourage citizenship every day?

Community Inclusion—Both agencies and community groups can contribute to building a bridge from “client” to “citizen”. How do you create local ways for connecting people on the edge of your community to people in the center? How to create special community building initiatives to integrate people such as those labeled disabled, mentally ill, troubled youth? Or ex-offenders, welfare recipients, or isolated elders? Welcome the marginalized labeled client back into everyday life as a contributing community member. 

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